Return to work, accommodation and support

Published: Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, November 2023

Most workers who use cannabis to treat work-related injuries and illnesses do so without medical guidance or authorization, a recent study out of Canada suggests. This article summarizes findings from the Institute's Ontario Life After Work Injury Study. It found 27.4 per cent of the workers reported using cannabis in the past year. Of that group, 14.1 per cent did so to ease symptoms stemming from a work-related condition, with the majority (67.3 per cent) not receiving guidance on therapeutic cannabis use from a health care provider.

Published: Safety + Health, October 2023

While cannabis is often used recreationally, there is growing interest in its use for therapeutic purposes, such as for pain, anxiety, depression and sleep problems. Some workers are using cannabis many months following the onset of a work-related condition, whether to treat their condition or for other reasons, mostly without medical guidance.

Published: October 2023

A recent IWH study examined the experiences of sworn and civilian Ontario police service members returning to their jobs after experiencing an injury or illness. It found their RTW challenges revolved around five main themes.

Published: September 2023

Published: Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, August 2023

While primary care physicians play an important role in helping ill and injured workers return to work (RTW), they have a variety of learning needs about how to best navigate the RTW process. These needs fall in the areas of completing administrative tasks, challenging personal beliefs, understanding specific RTW issues and learning about available RTW services and tools.

Published: July 2023

An estimated one in seven Canadians report using cannabis products to recuperate from work-related physical injuries, according to data published in the journal BMJ Open. Researchers at the Institute for Work & Health surveyed nearly 1,200 Canadians who had received workers’ compensation for either a work-related injury or illness. Fourteen percent of respondents said that they had used cannabis explicitly to recuperate from a workplace injury.

Published: NORML, July 2023

Published: BMJ Open, July 2023

Published: Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, June 2023

The Inclusive Design for Employment Access (IDEA) initiative aims to build the capacity of employers to hire and accommodate persons with disabilities. This article profiles the initiative's mission.

Published: Benefits Canada, May 2023